5 Players The Chicago Cubs Could Do Without In 2014

5 Players The Chicago Cubs Could Do Without In 2014

Jerry Lai - USA TODAY Sports

Hitting has really been the Chicago Cubs’ biggest issue this season. No regular starter has a batting average over .300, and the team has the third-worst batting average in baseball. On the other hand, their pitching hasn’t been awful, ranking 11th in overall ERA, 17th in starting ERA, and seventh in bullpen ERA.

Here’s a ranking of the five players the Cubs could do without in 2014.

5. Chris Coghlan

David Banks - USA TODAY Sports

5. Chris Coghlan

David Banks - USA TODAY Sports

After his breakout season in Florida, Chris Coghlan’s numbers saw a steady decline and he kind of dropped off the map, becoming one of several rotating parts that the Cubs have attempted to put in the outfield this season. His slash line of .185/.274/.292 hasn’t helped his case at all either.

4. Ryan Sweeney

Matt Marton - USA TODAY Sports

4. Ryan Sweeney

Matt Marton - USA TODAY Sports

Another filler part in the outfield, Ryan Sweeney is another example of a player whose career the Cubs shouldn’t have even tried to revive. While dealing with a number of injuries, as he has for his entire career, Sweeney’s bat remains firmly in the freezer thanks to a .183 batting average.

3. Nate Schierholtz

David Banks - USA TODAY Sports

3. Nate Schierholtz

David Banks - USA TODAY Sports

The Cubs need to get rid of Nate Schierholtz, and the sooner the better. His hitting has not been up to par, and he’s put up a .211/.265/.306 line in 2014 so far.

2. Darwin Barney

Dennis Wierzbicki - USA TODAY Sports

2. Nate Schierholtz

Dennis Wierzbicki - USA TODAY Sports

A few years ago, Darwin Barney seemed like he had a chance to be the Cubs’ next good starting middle infielder. Instead, he’s underperformed for the past several years, and this year is no exception. Barney has a slash line of .198/.258/.289 and hasn’t done much to help the Cubs this season.

1. Carlos Villanueva

Benny Sieu - USA TODAY Sports

1. Carlos Villanueva

Benny Sieu - USA TODAY Sports

While the Cubs’ hitting has been awful, the pitching staff’s performance deserves to be praised, for the most part. The pitching of Carlos Villanueva is one exception. The Cubs perhaps deserve some of the blame for Villanueva’s 6.75 ERA, which sat at around 12 earlier in the season.